


Shiny Things

by TortiTabby



Series: Bingo Fics! [4]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: ADHD, Alternate Universe - High School, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Bullies, Implied Anxiety, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Neurodiversity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-11
Updated: 2018-10-11
Packaged: 2019-07-29 07:49:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16259843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TortiTabby/pseuds/TortiTabby
Summary: Dan's brain worked a little differently than others.





	Shiny Things

**Author's Note:**

> Happy World Mental Health Day! 
> 
> Written partly for myself and part for the poor anon that sent me this prompt _months_ ago. Sorry I just got to it, it was rather daunting.  
>  _"Could you maybe write a high school au or something where one of them is autistic or neurodivergent in some way? There's not a lot of phanfics like this and I would love to see more"_
> 
> I'm also using it to fill my Player's Choice square on my Bingo Card!  
>   
>  **Disclaimer:** I'm not in any way shape or form diagnosing Dan. These are my own mental health issues I had growing up and even to this day that I'm giving him in this very much _fictional_ story!

“Daniel did you feed the dog? I have asked you so many times already” Dan’s mother was groaning as she got Dan’s younger brother ready for school.

“Are you not dressed?” She roared and Dan felt a wave of guilt and shame wash over him as she closed her eyes and controlled her anger.

“Sorry Mum!” He jumped up and ran to his room, hurriedly dumping a scoop of Colin’s food into his bowl on the way. 

He didn’t even remember what thought pulled him out of his tasks and left him motionless and pondering on the sofa anymore. It didn’t matter at the end of the day.

There was a test today that he had forgotten to study for. His friend’s were going to mock him at lunch for not studying. He hoped that the money he left in his bag was enough for wherever they went for food today, he was lucky enough to have a friend that covered him last time he didn’t have enough but to come up short a second time would just be embarrassing-

He shook his head angrily and tried to sort out his thoughts. 

Clothes. Shirt, Pants, Socks, Shoes. He could do that. 

It was going to be a tough one today. His mind was adamant on skipping from subject to subject and it was like having an object glued down in the most inconvenient of places, right in the middle of a path that Dan had to take to get to where he needed to go, and just after the glue really sets trying to slowly peel it away and tug it off of the glue. Sometimes it was glued down too well and Dan could manage trying to maneuver around it but some days it was just there as a constant inconvenience in his life. 

Dan sat for a few moments thinking about different kinds of glue before his mum yelling from the doorway that it was time to leave pierced his sluggish thoughts. 

He hurried out of his room, going through the routine of “ _ do I have my phone, my money, my school bag. _ ” that he ran though every day to ensure he remembered the essentials. Routine was key.

 

“Dan. Listen, you’re my best friend but you’ve just gone through five different subjects and I’ve only seen you for like three minutes so far today.” Phil laughed and shook his head. Dan was relieved that in the sea of assholes that made fun of Dan and his necessity for “ _ his chill pills”  _ he had his best friend, Phil by his side. He got lucky with Phil who not only somehow understood the way Dan’s odd brain functioned, but could follow Dan’s rapid fire ideas and subjects and if he couldn’t he let Dan know in a way that wasn’t condescending or embarrassing. Dan never felt annoying with Phil and the relief in that was enough to nearly bring him to tears if he gave it a lot of thought.

Dan scrunched up his nose as he took another gulp of his red bull. He was nearly late for school when he reminded his mum last minute that he needed one today to get through the test he had. He needed it not because he was tired, like most of the other kid’s that were downing monsters and other various energy drinks, but because without it his head buzzed around any and all subjects besides whatever one was on the paper in front of him. 

“Sorry. It’s bad today.” Dan shrugged with a sigh. Phil nodded, unbothered.

“You were talking about the ride over here first, I think.” He prompted with a small smile.

“Oh that’s right, thanks.” He launched into a story about a conversation he had with his brother when Jeremy, a popular grade A Asshat, walked up to them with a grin that meant nothing good for either of them.

“Hey losers.” He greeted with a smirk. The thing with Jeremy is he didn’t know he was a jerk and was convinced he was friends with their entire grade, which was for the most part true.

Dan couldn’t get the time he had thought so too out of his head. He met Phil and Jeremy and a few of Jeremy’s friends after school to a park where half of their class hung around doing nothing most days after school. It hadn’t ended well. Dan got comfortable and when he gained comfort he lost his guard. 

He remembered impulsively cracking jokes before he had a second thought to think them over and laughing gleefully before pestering Jeremy with a joke he had seemed to  _ enjoy  _ earlier. 

“Jesus Christ you’re annoying. You know that Howell?” All of his friends had howled with laughter. Dan tried to laugh along, trying to seem bothered but kept himself in the back of the group quietly for the rest of the time. His heart raced as shame and embarrassment kept him in a chokehold until Phil effectively countered Jeremy’s statements and quickly moved them on to something else to occupy Dan’s troubled,  _ different _ , mind. 

“Earth to Dan” Jeremy waved a hand in front of Dan’s face and laughed. “What’s happening in there? Oh look!” Jeremy pointed across the way and Dan moronocally looked. “Is that  _ something shiny _ !” He roared in laughter before clapping Dan on the back and waltzing away, clearly proud of himself. 

Dan sighed and rolled his eyes at Phil.

“What a dickhead.” Phil said confidently. Phil wasn’t one for calling people names, dickhead at the top of the list. Dan beamed at him in response as he knew it was for his benefit. He really did appreciate it.

The bell rang loudly overhead and Phil groaned as they went to part ways. 

“See you at lunch?” He asked. 

Dan nodded. “I have a test first thing” He held up the now empty energy drink can.

“You got it?” Phil asked.  
Dan smiled back. "I got it." 

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are very much appreciated, loved, and reread an obsessive amount!  
>   
>   
> Please let me know what you think!! It's weirdly personal and Dan's experience is very much my own here. Not in a romantic way but Phil is based off of my very best, wonderful friend.  
> If you have any questions about ADHD or just want to chat or want to prompt fics I'll eventually actually do come talk to me on tumblr!  
>   
> tortitabby.tumblr.com


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